The elderly population is growing rapidly and is becoming increasingly diverse. By the year 2030, the number of elderly persons is anticipated to be 69.4 million in the United States and this population will continue to climb to 78.9 million by the year 2050. The growth of minority elderly is remarkable as well. The number of Black elderly in 1995 was 2.7 million and it is expected to increase to 6.9 million in 2030. By 2050, it is anticipated that the Black elderly population will rise to 8.6 million. Hispanic elderly population was 784,000 in 1995 and it is expected to climb to 3.7 million in 2030 and to 5.8 million in 2050. Further, the proportion of Asian and Pacific Islander elders will rise from 7% to 13% between 1995 and 2030. There is also diversity within the sex composition of the elderly population, with women outnumbering men.

Psychiatric disorders are common in the elderly. It is anticipated that the number of elderly with psychiatric conditions will increase to 15 million by 2030 (up from 4 million in 1970). Currently, the field of geriatric mental health is witnessing an explosion of new information in both the clinical and research arenas. Therefore, at MUSC we have developed a division charged with developing cutting edge research and generating innovative clinical concepts while being committed to treating a diverse population.

At MUSC, we offer the following: We have a diverse group of faculty and staff. This diversity allows us to better serve the community-at-large.

In order to develop the pipeline of young clinicians and researchers, training programs must be diverse to develop leaders both in the clinical and research fields. We have a training program that focus primarily on research as well as a training program that incorporates both clinical and research perspectives.

Finally, due to a wide variety psychiatric conditions in the elderly, our faculty and staff must be diverse in their expertise in geriatric mental health. From the clinic— to the hospital—to the nursing home—to the research clinic, our faculty and staff are known both locally and nationally for their expertise in this field. Additionally, our faculty and staff have interests in a variety of psychiatric conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, geriatric depression, and psychosis in the elderly.

Our website is currently under development. To learn more about Geriatric Psychiatry, please contact our officeat (843) 740-1592 x 41.